


Down To The River

by Aeruthin



Series: Original Family Short Stories [4]
Category: The Originals (TV)
Genre: Finn and Elijah don't get along, Gen, Humans, Kid Fic, Pre-Series, What else is new, they are children - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-17 17:33:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21058277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeruthin/pseuds/Aeruthin
Summary: After spending the day playing at the river, Elijah, Kol and Klaus return home after sundown. Not everyone is happy about their late arrival...





	Down To The River

The forest is quiet, and the only thing Elijah can hear is the crunch of his own footsteps on the ground, and Kol's faster ones slightly in front of him. It is getting late, the sun already hovering above the mountain tops. He, Kol and Niklaus will miss dinner for sure.

They'd went out to the stream today to try and catch some fish. They should have been home in time, but Kol and Niklaus had found a pool upstream where they could swim and play in the water. They'd had some bad weather the past few days, and being cooped up in their little hut while the rain poured down outside hadn't done them much good. Luckily, their father was off to another village to discuss new ways to fight the wolves, and to exchange knowledge and weaponry. He had been stuck there when the rain started. 

Elijah had let Kol and Niklaus play while he checked the traps, did repairs where necessary, and laid out new ones. When he was done, he didn't have the heart to tell his younger brothers that they should return home. They were laughing, trying to one-up each other in the water despite the spring cold, any previous animosity long forgotten. To be honest, though, he was not being completely selfless. He was glad to be outside. The last traces of winter were finally disappearing, and the air felt fresh and new. The smell of rain lingered, and Elijah was content to just sit on one of the large rocks and bask in the warmth of the sun.

When they finally did make their way back home, Elijah had realised that he had misjudged how much sunlight they had left. If he'd been on his own, he could have made it back in time, but soon Niklaus started to drag behind. He had spend his energy play fighting Kol, and was tired.

"Hurry up, Klaus!" Kol teases. Even though he is younger, he is faster than Niklaus, and tires less easily. Niklaus scowls, but keeps his gaze focused on the path. When Elijah next glances back, though, he has fallen further behind. 

"Go on, Kol, you know the way." Proudly, Kol continues on, while Elijah waits for Niklaus to catch up. Niklaus' lips are perched stubbornly, but there are bags under his eyes. Elijah kneels down, with his back to his brother.

"Come on, then," he says. Niklaus glares, but then throws his hands around Elijah's neck. It takes a bit of struggling, and manoeuvring the bag with game and supplies, but soon Niklaus is settled on Elijah's back. He starts walking again, picking up the pace. When he reaches Kol, he keeps walking behind him, letting Kol set the tempo. 

Kol glances back, but doesn't comment. He is tired as well, and apart from some teasing, they all have a quiet understanding that they don't mention it when Niklaus can't keep up, especially when their father is around. 

They continue on while the sun sinks further behind the trees. In the distance, the lights of the village become visible. It would still take a while before they reach it. Elijah's arms have started to ache, but judging from Niklaus' breath, his brother has fallen asleep, so it would be cruel to put him down. 

"We're nearly there," he assures Kol, who nods. 

"I'm hungry," he complains.

"If you ask nicely, maybe Mother will give you some leftovers." It is Elijah's fault that they are late anyway. He shouldn't have let them linger.

Finally, they reach the outskirts of the village. The fires burn bright from inside the houses against the evening chill. Kol takes of with a sprint, leaving his brothers behind and not bothering to look back. Elijah sighs, but doesn't call after him. He doesn't have the energy to scold him anyway. 

He stops and kneels down. Niklaus stirs when his feet touch the ground.

"Wake up, brother," Elijah murmurs. He knows that Niklaus doesn't like others seeing him being carried, so they could walk the rest of the way together. Niklaus is a bit unsteady on his legs, but is soon awake. 

"Ready?" Elijah asks. Niklaus nods, but then his eyes flicker to something behind Elijah, who turns around. 

A man is towering over him. Elijah freezes. For a second, the terrified thought that their father has returned to the village rushes through him. Immediately, his mind conjures up several reasons why he made it back early. He left during the rain. He had made it to another house in the village and had slept there. He walked through the night.

Then the man shifts and the light of the fires catches him differently, and it is not a man at all, but his older brother Finn. Elijah breathes out in relief, and gets to his feet.

"You're late," Finn says without greeting.

The relief is immediately replaced by annoyance, both at his brother and at himself for being so easily startled. Elijah pushes past him and starts walking towards home. Niklaus follows at his side and Finn is close behind.

"Do you know how worried Mother was?"

Honestly, the sun has barely set. They'd been home later before.

"You should have come back earlier."

Elijah rolls his eyes. Trust Finn to state the obvious. Unconsciously, he pulls up his shoulders. They ache from carrying both the bag with supplies and his brother, and he moves them in slow circles, trying to relieve the tension.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you, Brother!" Finn snaps. He grabs Elijah's arm, forcing him to a stop. Frowning, Niklaus looks at both of them.

"Elijah?" he asks in a quiet voice.

Elijah closes his eyes briefly, and then holds out the bag towards his younger brother. 

"It's alright. Can you take this to Mother?" he says. With a final suspicious look at Finn, Niklaus takes the bag and walks on to their home.

Elijah turns to Finn, forcing a small smile while he'd rather just punch his older brother in the face.

"You got something to say?" 

"You could have been back much earlier. If Father hears of this..."

Elijah feels a cold creep through him. "Father will not hear of this unless you tell him," he hisses, stepping forward. Even though Elijah is responsible, they both know who would take the brunt of Father's displeasure.

Finn shakes his head. "Why are you late anyway?"

"We just had some fun," Elijah admits. 

"Fun?"

"Not that you know what that is."

"This is no joking matter," Finn hisses back.

"Proving my point," Elijah mutters, looking away. 

"It was irresponsible. They could have hurt themselves! And what then?"

"For that to actually matter, it implies that you care. But you also don't know what that is."

Elijah turns away. He is done with this conversation. He is done with his brother's constant critique. He is hungry and his body burns with exhaustion, and he wants to lay down in bed and sleep.

"If I had been there..."

Elijah spins around, anger flaring. 

"But you were not. You never are. So STOP WHINING."

Finn flinches back, but Elijah is done caring. He stalks away, tears burning in his eyes. For once, for once he would like to be content and happy for a few moments before it all comes crashes down. He sinks down next to the large oak tree in the middle of the village. The ground and air have chilled, and soon he is shivering, but he isn't ready to go home just yet. Finn hasn't bothered to follow him, and is probably sulking by the fire.

"Elijah?" 

He looks up and sees Niklaus standing in front of him. 

"You should be asleep," he scolds gently. Niklaus shrugs and sits down next to him. He starts playing with the necklace their mother gave him, a small starling. He'd shown it to Elijah and Rebekah when Kol wasn't looking, sure that their younger brother would try to steal it. His fears were not unfounded. Rebekah had looked jealous as well, and Niklaus had offered to make a wooden necklace for her instead. 

"Is Mother angry?" Elijah asks. 

Niklaus shakes his head. "She didn't give us dinner though."

"Hmm, I bet Kol complained a lot."

Niklaus grins and nods. "He did too. Bex said she'd have given us some, but she'd already finished all of hers."

Elijah smiles. Of course she would. Elijah raises his arm and Niklaus settles in close against his shoulder. 

"'Lijah?" Niklaus murmurs, his voice drowsy. "Can we go to the stream again tomorrow?"

Elijah presses a kiss against his head. 

"Maybe," he says. Niklaus doesn't respond. His breath has deepened, and his eyes are closed. 

Despite his aching arms, Elijah carries him back to their home. The hut is heated by the dying fire in the center and the warmth settles over him like a blanket. His mother is still awake, but the others are already asleep. He settles down Niklaus next to Rebekah, who is lying next to Kol and Henrik. The four of them barely fit any more. Soon they'd need a new bed.

"Come here, Elijah," his mother says softly. Elijah sits down next to her and stretches out his hands and legs to the dying embers. 

"You shouldn't fight with your brother," his mother chides softly. Her hand is warm as it strokes through his hair. "You know better."

Elijah shrugs. Now and again, a flame dances upwards. 

"I'm sorry for bringing them home late," he says after a while. 

His mother sighs.

"I'm not angry," she says. Her hand cups beneath his chin, forcing him to look at her.

"Just be careful next time. Promise?" 

Elijah nods. She smiles and presses a kiss on his hair.

"That's my boy," she whispers. She pulls back again, a twinkle appearing in her eye. 

"Did you at least have fun?"

Elijah grins. "Kol and Niklaus found a water pool."

"Maybe you can take all of us there tomorrow," she suggests. "Now off to bed you go".

They didn't go back to the water pool the day after. Henrik came down with a fever, and woke everyone with his crying. They had to take turns watching him, and by the time the fever broke, evening had arrived, and with it, their Father as well. 

Later that year, though, when the sun stood higher and the days were longer, they did return, his mother and all his siblings. They spend the day near the water, where Finn taught Henrik how to swim, while Kol and Niklaus tried to pull each other under. Sitting on the large stone heated by the sun, Elijah braided Rebekah's hair and laced it with flowers. She tucked one behind his ear as well.

He had caught his mother's eye over his sister's shoulder, and she had smiled broadly. 

Watching all of them, Elijah had once again been struck with the knowledge that despite the hardships, he loved his family very, very much.


End file.
